Thirds to thomas h



(No Model.)

T. W. GlLMBR.

RAILROAD TIE.

No. 433,524. Y Patented Aug` 5, 1890.

me Naam; PETERS co., wanruwo., wAsmNawN, rx c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEE-ICE.

ATHOMAS lV. GILMER, OF BIG STONE GAP, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDSTO THOMAS H. WALKER AND HENRY VEBB, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILROAD-TIE,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,524, dated August5, 1890.

Application filed April 18, 1890. Serial No. 348,439. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. GILMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Big Stone Gap, in the county of Wise and State of Virginia,have invented a new and useful Railroad-Tie, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has relation to fastenings for railroad-rails, and isespecially designed for use upon metal ties.

The objects of the invention are to provide an exceedingly-cheap andpreferably castmetal fastening adapted to be easily clamped upon therails and the ties and to snugly bind the two together in such a manneras to avoid any accidental loosening of the rails.

Vith the above general objects in view the invention consists in certainfeatures of construction, hereinafter specified, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of the tie andopposite rails, the latter being secured upon the formerby fasteningsmade in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionthrough the rails and tie, the fastenings being viewed in sideelevation. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspectiveof one of the fastenings orclamps. Fig. el. is a transverse section through the tie and fasteningor clamp. Fig. 5 is a detail of the binding-bolt. Fig. 6 is atransversesectional View illustrating the manner of fastening switch andguard-rails at switches.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

l represents a metal tie, which may be of any desired construction, butwhich in this instance is elevated above the ground by a surroundingdepending flange 2.

3 represents the rails, which are mounted upon the tie, and the latteris provided at each side of each rail with a longitudinallydisposed slot4. In forming the slot 4 the outer ends of each pair of slots areprovided with depending or inclined seats or flanges 5,

' which flanges are formed by punching the metal removed to form theslots downwardly, as shown. The bases of the rails rest upon thoseportions of the ties occurring between the pairs of slots, Yand saidbases are embraced at opposite points by clamping blocks or fasteningsG.

The clamping blocks or fastenings 6 are preferably formed of cast metal,but may be otherwise formed, if so desired, and they have their innerends undercut, as at 7, so as to conform to the web 8 of the rail. Theheads or upper portions of the block lie upon the upper faces of theties, and upon the bottoms or under surfaces of said blocks orfastenings there are formed depending tenons 9, of a length agreeingwith the slots 4, the opposite ends of the tenons being-beveled, as at10, so that by inserting the blocks in an inclined manner into the slotsthe rear inclined ends take against the inclined seats or flanges 5,located at the outer ends of the slots, and the farther the blocks areforced into the slots the more are their inner ends advanced toward eachother by reason of the rear inclined or beveled ends of the blocks andthe inclined seats. If desired, these flanges or seats may be omitted,and the rear beveled ends merely rest against or bind upon the ends ofthe slots. Such a construction might be used provided the metal of theties were sulficiently thick and heavy as not to wear away or becomesmashed. I prefer, however, to employ the inclined seats, especially soin view of the fact that it does not add to the cost of the tie andgreatly aids in a retention of the securing device.

The tenons 9 are each provided with a transverse recess ll, extendingupward to the head of the block or fastening, and said heads areprovided with bolt-openings l2, registering with the recesses. Insertedfrom underneath and upwardly through the bolt-opening of each of theblocks is a bolt 13, the lower end of which is provided with a T-shapedhead 14, adapted to fit the transverse recess 11 and of a width greaterthan the width of the tenon, so that the opposite ends of the head takeunder the opposite edges of the slots 4. The upperl ends of the boltsare threaded and upon them mounted bindingnuts l5. The rails being inposition and the blocks inserted within the slots, it is apparent thatby rotating the binding-nuts upon their bolts the blocks will be themore snugly de- ICO pressed into the slots in that the opposite 'ends ofthe 'I1-heads of the bolts take under the opposite edges of the slots.It is apparent that this further depression of the blocks or fasteningsserves to feed the same inwardly toward each other and the rail, therear beveled ends of the blocks riding down the inclined seat of theties. In this manner the rails are clamped at their bases at oppositepoints upon each tie, and an occasional tightening will serve tomaintain the road in a perfect condition, so far as the fastening of ofthe bases of the two rails at each side of the track are embraced andbound upon by the clamping-blocks 6 of the construction previouslydescribed. The ties in this instance are provided near each end withthree slots or openings 4, the four outer openings receiving the blocks6 and the two central openings each receiving a block 17, having itsopposite ends undercut or beveled, so as to overlap the adjacent edgesof the bases of the track and guard-rails, as shown at 18. A bolt orheaded rod 13, ofthe same construction as heretofore described, passesthrough the fastener and serves to bind the parts together. Bytightening the bolt the block is drawn snugly into position between therails, which are in a similar manner bound upon at the opposite sides ofthe rails. y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l 1. Thecombination, with a metal tie, the rails, and slots formed in the tie atopposite sides of the rails, of opposite pairs of fastenings or blocksmounted over the slots andhaving their inner ends adapted to embrace thebases of the rails and provided with depending tenons iitting the slotsand having opposite beveled ends and a transverse recess, andT-shapedbolts passed through the fastenings and having their headsresting in the recesses and extending at each side of the same andtaking under the opposite edges of the slots and nuts mounted on thebolts tion, substantially as specified.

2. The combinatiomwith-a metallic tie and rails mounted thereon, saidtie being provided at each side of each rail with aslot, the outer endsof which have depending integral and inclined seats, of fasteningsmounted in each of thc slots and having their inner ends conforming toand adapted to grasp the base of the rail and provided upon theirunder-sides with depending tenons fitting the slots and having oppositebeveled ends, the rear one of which is adapted'to ride upon the inclinedseat of the tie, and further provided with transverse recesses andbolt-openings communicating with the recesses and formed in the 'upperportions of the fastenings, and 'T- shaped bolts, the heads of which iitthe recesses and take under the opposite edges of their respectiveslots, the shanks of the bolts passing upwardly through thebolt-openings, and binding-nuts mounted upon the upper ends of the boltsand adapted to bind the blocks or fastenings against the inclined seatsand within the slots, substantially as specified 3. The combination, with the metal tie pro` vided near its ends with the three openings, ofthe opppsite switch and guard rails, the four outer binding-blocksseated in the outer openings and having their inner ends embracing theouter edges of the bases of the track-rails and their outer ends beveledand resting upon inclined seats formedin the ends of the openings, acentral binding-block located between each track and switch-rail andoccupying the central openings, and bindingbolts passed through theblocks headed upon their lower ends and taking at each side of theopenings in the tie, and binding-nuts mounted upon the bolts and adaptedto bind upon the blocks, substantially as specified.

4. The fastenings or blocks having their inner ends adapted to embracethe bases of the rails and provided with depending tenons havingopposite beveled ends and a transverse recess, and T-shaped bolts passedthrough the fasten'ings and having their heads resting in,`

the recesses and extending at each side of the same, and nuts mounted onthe bolts-and adapted to bind the fastenings in position, substantiallyas specified.

In testimony that I claimY the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS W. GILMER.

Witnesses:

WM. S. MATHEws, W. I-I. PRYOR.

IOO

